Cornish Hen Biryani

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the saffron and stir until it turns a few shades darker. Place the milk in a small cup and crumble in the saffron. Let stand for 3 hours. Place the rice in a large bowl, cover with water, stir in 1 tablespoon of the salt and let stand for 3 hours.

2. Step 2

   Place the ginger and garlic in a blender with 2 tablespoons of water and blend to a fine paste, stopping several times to scrape the sides of the jar. Place the yogurt in a bowl and stir in the mint, coriander and chilies. Divide the cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves into 2 equal parts.

3. Step 3

   Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, fry the sliced onions until crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 2 teaspoons of oil.

4. Step 4

   Place half the spice mixture in the skillet, stir once and add the cumin seeds. Stir once and add the chopped onion. Cook until the edges begin to brown, then stir in the ginger mixture. Stir for 1 minute. Add the hens in 2 batches and cook until browned.

5. Step 5

   With the hens in the skillet, lower the heat and stir in half of the yogurt mixture, 1½ teaspoons of salt, half the almonds, half the raisins, the lemon juice, ground cumin, cayenne and ¼ cup of water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and stir in half the fried onions. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is thick and the meat is just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste.

6. Step 6

   Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, place the hen mixture into a large, ovenproof pot. Stir ½ teaspoon of the salt and 2 teaspoons of saffron milk into the remaining yogurt. Spread over the hen mixture. Drain the rice and place in the boiling water with the remaining spice mixture. Boil until almost tender, about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and place over the yogurt mixture.

7. Step 7

   Working quickly, make a well in center of rice and pour in remaining saffron milk. Cover with a damp dishcloth, then foil, then a lid. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes longer. To serve, stir the mixture to combine and season with more salt if needed. Place on a large platter and garnish with remaining fried onions, almonds and raisins.